372 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

In the midst of a storm swirling within the waiting room of the Se family... Gu Yangcheon found himself entangled in a rather bothersome situation. "Look how thin you've gotten. Are you eating well?" "Your clothes don't seem to be in good condition." "Elder sister told you to make sure you eat properly. Is that why you haven't grown taller?" "I'll order some quality clothes separately, so please make sure to take them with you." Words from both sides made his head throb. There was still some time left until the meeting began, so he decided to step outside for a walk. Of all the people he could have bumped into as soon as he stepped out, it had to be these two. "Brother, why are you so silent?" "...Why are you even here, sister? Aren't you busy?" He had heard she was coming, but he didn't think she'd actually show up. At my question, someone chuckled softly. The person laughing was my sister, Gu Hee-bi, also known as the Sword Mistress. It had been roughly a year since I last saw her face. "I am busy. But you should be grateful that your sister spared some of her precious time to visit." "It was unnecessary. You should have kept your precious time without cutting it." "Do you want to die?" With those harsh words, Gu Hee-bi ruffled my hair mercilessly. Why did this person, busy with her duties in the sword troupe, come all this way? She could have at least gone to see Gu Yeon-seo instead of me. Or she could have done something else entirely. What purpose could she have here in this faraway place? Someone intervened, preventing Gu Hee-bi from messing up my hair even more. It wasn't me; it was Madame Mi. "Many people are passing by. How can you act so undignifiedly? Is this how your mother taught you?" At Madame Mi's scolding, Gu Hee-bi flinched. "...I'm sorry." "How can you treat your grown brother so recklessly?" "He's just a bit cute..." "Don't make excuses." "Yes..." Gu Hee-bi couldn't move a muscle at Madame Mi's words. It was truly a fascinating sight. To see that stubborn woman shrink like that. Madame Mi then carefully tidied up my disheveled hair. Somehow, a comb appeared, and she began to sort out the tangled strands. "As it's an important occasion, you should pay attention to your appearance." "...Yes." "It's good to train as a martial artist, but you should also know to dress appropriately for the occasion." "I'm sorry." Feeling a bit weird due to the unsettling feelings while my hair was being tidied, I had to subtly bite my tongue. Madame Mi was doing this out of consideration for the family’s reputation and the standing of our firm. I needed to rid myself of these unnecessary thoughts. "I'll send someone with clothes later, so make sure to wear them." "I'll keep that in mind." "Good." Once the task was finally done, Madame Mi placed the comb back in her folds. She looked me over, checking thoroughly as if she were scanning for issues. After her meticulous inspection, she sighed gently and asked, "I heard there’s been a lot going on." "Not a lot, just a few things." "Are you hurt anywhere?" "As you can s... No, I'm not." I started to speak casually but rephrased my words. I found it somewhat difficult to use my usual manner of speaking with Madame Mi. "That's a relief." "..." It was a simple statement without any particular meaning. Yet somehow, there was a warmth that resonated within as I heard it. Perhaps it was because I had discovered that my mother was alive. Reflecting on this, I buried my emotions and asked Madame Mi, "...Madame Mi." "Yes?" "Where is Father?" "He’s gone to the waiting room first. He mentioned he had to organize a few things in advance." "Organize?" What could he be organizing? Is he planning to work even here? Come to think of it, this could, indeed, be considered work. "Aren't you going to join him, Madame Mi?" Like my father, Madame Mi was in attendance representing the trade guild, so there must be a separate waiting room for the lord of the guild. There was no need for them to remain outside. Not that I was one to talk, standing outside the building myself. At my words, Madame Mi’s expression turned slightly cold. "If I go, I’ll only find greedy pigs stuffed with money. I have no desire to mingle with them unnecessarily." "...Oh, I see." Her words were unexpectedly harsh. With a slight chill running through my arms, I looked around. "Now that you mention it, Elder Yi’s nowhere to be seen either?" I was certain he mentioned he was coming along, yet Elder Yi was nowhere in sight. Seeing my puzzled expression, Gu Hee-bi provided the answer. "Elder Yi said he had some personal errands to attend to." "Errands in Hanam?" "He mentioned visiting some friends." "...?" At Gu Hee-bi’s words, I couldn't help but furrow my brow. With the circumstances as they were, he wasn't coming here to see me but to visit friends? That old man certainly has his priorities... Yet somehow, it wouldn't be too surprising if Elder Yi acted in such a manner. I thought there must be some who, if staying in Hanam, he would know as friends. As I considered this thought... I recalled a few people residing in Hanam. I thought, 'No way...' But in my mind, I had already concluded who it might be. "...Hmm." If my instincts were correct, Elder Yi might be off to see the Demon Lord. Knowing the two had some kind of connection, it seemed plausible. 'This could be problematic.' When the Demon Lord questioned how I discovered his identity, I had jokingly blamed Elder Yi. I thought I’d deal with the consequences later and mentioned it lightheartedly, but if things turned out this way, the Demon Lord might find out the truth accidentally. 'What should I do?' There was nothing to do but accept fate. I suspected I would deal with it at some point, but I didn't anticipate the crisis would unfold this quickly. 'Hmm... It's messed up.' Surprisingly, accepting the situation calmed me down. All I could do now was hope Elder Yi wouldn't meet the Demon Lord. "Brother, are you okay? You look unwell. Hungry?" "...What do you think I am, like you? When you're hungry, do you show it on your face?" "Suddenly getting aggressive with your words, huh? Want me to get angry?" "Just means you're honest with your feelings, which isn't a bad thing." "Alright, but who is that?" Gu Hee-bi pointed her finger at someone. It turned out to be Cheol Ji-sun, who was standing at a distance, watching nervously. As Gu Hee-bi pointed at him, Cheol Ji-sun flinched. "What's your deal? Why are you sneaking around and spying?" "Eep...!" As Gu Hee-bi was about to beckon someone over, Madame Mi stepped on her foot. While Gu Hee-bi groaned from the sudden pain, Madame Mi gave Cheol Ji-sun a gentle smile. "I'm sorry. My daughter hasn't been fully educated yet." "Oh, no, it's quite alright...." "Right, I've heard you're friends with my son?" "Oh... yes. I'm Cheol Ji-sun of the Cheol family. I've heard a lot about you." "Hey, since when have you heard anything from me..." "Nice to meet you." Madame Mi interjected while I tried to explain. "You said you're Master Cheol, right? Please continue being good friends with my son." "Y-yes, ma'am..." Flustered, Cheol Ji-sun answered stiffly, which seemed to please Madame Mi. She nodded approvingly. Watching the interaction made me wonder if this is how things would have been if my mother had been around. It was an unnecessary and unsettling sentiment. '...I really need to ask Father after this meeting.' I had planned to wait until we returned to the Gu family, but given my father's presence here in Hanam, I thought now might be the right time. I needed to inquire not only about my mother's whereabouts but also about the future of the Gu Yan Martial Art. While being playfully harassed by Gu Hee-bi, a messenger from the Meng sect appeared to deliver a message. "The meeting is about to commence soon." Upon hearing this, I straightened up. Cheol Ji-sun, whose tension had briefly dissipated, began to tremble again, so I simply grabbed and dragged him along. As we were about to head to the meeting hall... "Yangcheon." Madame Mi called out, stopping me in my tracks. I was startled; it had been years since she last addressed me by name. "Yes...?" "After this event concludes, do you plan to return to the Se family?" The current event. She was asking if I intended to return home after the meeting was over. I hesitated for a moment. While it made sense to return for various reasons given the situation, I had several matters to attend to. "No." A frown formed on Madame Mi's brow at my refusal. Her expression made me flinch, but I had my reasons too. Besides training under the Demon Lord, I had other tasks at hand. This had already been discussed and agreed upon with him. "I don't think I'll be returning to the Se family." "...It seems you have somewhere else to go." "Yes." With a destination in mind, I informed Madame Mi. "Sichuan. I have some business there." Alongside the White Horse Stone, There was also the secluded location of the Geumcheon Family in Sichuan. I planned to head there right after wrapping up my other engagements. Oh, right, I hadn't mentioned this yet. "Hey, did you hear what I just said?" "Hmm? About going to Sichuan?" "Correct. I haven't told you yet, but you're coming too." "...Huh... huh? Wait, what did you say?" "I take that as a yes. Great." As Cheol Ji-sun responded, not fully comprehending, it was already too late to object. **************** In the mountains behind Hanam city... Gu Ryun, known in the martial world as the Fist of Flames and an Elder of the Gu family, was climbing up the mountain. "...Those damn fools." He muttered through gritted teeth. The massive, elderly man wore a fierce expression, causing the nearby wildlife to scurry away in fright. However, climbing the mountain was secondary. What was more pressing was the fact that Gu Ryun’s hands were full of food. "Making an old man like me run food errands..." If he were a bit younger, he might have dragged them off and beaten them himself. Reflecting on his situation, Gu Ryun felt weary. He thought, perhaps he had made the wrong choice in friends, landing himself in such a predicament. After a long trek, Gu Ryun finally identified a cave, which seemed to be his destination. "...What is this now." Upon inspecting the cave area, he reflexively tensed. It was undoubtedly an artificially made cave. And it bore the remnants of a fierce energy all around. In fact, something about the aura felt familiar to him. This is... 'Could it be the madness of that lunatic, Bi Zhu.' Bi Zhu, known in some circles as the Demon Lord. His presence was palpable throughout the cave. Had he carved this out with his bare hands? ‘He claimed he grew younger, but did his brain regress too?’ Perhaps so. Witnessing this, Gu Ryun resolved never to indulge in extending his youth. He'd rather live until his hair went completely gray but would never reverse his age. Of late, seeing what his grandchild figure was up to, he had considered sticking around longer. But recalling the foolish antics of a friend, he decided against it. Gu Ryun was unaware. That this cave wasn't the making of the Demon Lord, but his grandchild-like Gu Yangcheon. Following the discreetly placed torches further into the cave, He spotted those wretched individuals already gathered in a drinking bout ahead. Unlike his aged self, one appeared middle-aged, and another seemed barely in their twenties. "You’re late, Gu Ryun." The Demon Lord, upon noticing Gu Ryun’s approach, greeted him with a sly smile. In his hand was already a cup of alcohol. There was one more person greeting Gu Ryun. As soon as he acknowledged the additional presence, Gu Ryun tossed the food towards them. The individual caught the food nonchalantly and laid it on the ground. After spreading out the food, "It's been a while." The man addressed Gu Ryun. A man with white hair and pale eyes. The King of Darkness (暗王).